1. Disengagement: It might surprise us but it doesn’t surprise them
Stuart Middleton
Specialist Advisor to the Chief Executive
Manukau Institute of Technology
Auckland, New Zealand
Workshop
Ontario, Canada
May 2017
Disengagement: It might surprise us but it doesn’t surprise them

2. Tenā koutou kātoa
The target group are likely to be underperforming and fail at school, pose a potential threat of disengagement, are likely to finish school with little or no qualifications – they are
at risk educationally but not yet in risk. They must of course be interested in a career path that is appropriate to an institute of technology. As a student body they are reflective of the communities of Counties Manukau, from a low decile school and/or a low income family and are in significant numbers first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.

3. We developed the MIT Tertiary High School because …..
We simply had to do something about disengagement!
20% of 16 yr olds no longer in education or training.
NEETs were continuing to increase (NZ 2017 = 93,000)
Youth unemployment was at record levels
The ethnicities of these groups painted an ugly picture
The target group are likely to be underperforming and fail at school, pose a potential threat of disengagement, are likely to finish school with little or no qualifications – they are
at risk educationally but not yet in risk. They must of course be interested in a career path that is appropriate to an institute of technology. As a student body they are reflective of the communities of Counties Manukau, from a low decile school and/or a low income family and are in significant numbers first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.

4. The THS target group Underperforming / likely to fail at school;
pose potential threats of failure / disengagement;
Likely / certain to finish school with little or no quals;
AT RISK educationally but not yet IN RISK
Over-representation of Priority Learner Groups
Generally from a low decile school and/or a low income family;
Significant numbers who were first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.
The target group are likely to be underperforming and fail at school, pose a potential threat of disengagement, are likely to finish school with little or no qualifications – they are
at risk educationally but not yet in risk. They must of course be interested in a career path that is appropriate to an institute of technology. As a student body they are reflective of the communities of Counties Manukau, from a low decile school and/or a low income family and are in significant numbers first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.

5. The challenges of this Group
Issues of academic preparation
‘At risk’ rather than ‘In Risk’
Disengagement
Priority Group Learner issues
Low SES / low income
First generation / first in family
The target group are likely to be underperforming and fail at school, pose a potential threat of disengagement, are likely to finish school with little or no qualifications – they are
at risk educationally but not yet in risk. They must of course be interested in a career path that is appropriate to an institute of technology. As a student body they are reflective of the communities of Counties Manukau, from a low decile school and/or a low income family and are in significant numbers first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.

6. Disengagement
The target group are likely to be underperforming and fail at school, pose a potential threat of disengagement, are likely to finish school with little or no qualifications – they are
at risk educationally but not yet in risk. They must of course be interested in a career path that is appropriate to an institute of technology. As a student body they are reflective of the communities of Counties Manukau, from a low decile school and/or a low income family and are in significant numbers first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.

7. Varieties of Disengagement
Physical Disengagement
The target group are likely to be underperforming and fail at school, pose a potential threat of disengagement, are likely to finish school with little or no qualifications – they are
at risk educationally but not yet in risk. They must of course be interested in a career path that is appropriate to an institute of technology. As a student body they are reflective of the communities of Counties Manukau, from a low decile school and/or a low income family and are in significant numbers first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.

8. Physical Disengagement Virtual Disengagement
The target group are likely to be underperforming and fail at school, pose a potential threat of disengagement, are likely to finish school with little or no qualifications – they are
at risk educationally but not yet in risk. They must of course be interested in a career path that is appropriate to an institute of technology. As a student body they are reflective of the communities of Counties Manukau, from a low decile school and/or a low income family and are in significant numbers first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.

9. Physical Disengagement Virtual Disengagement Unintended Disengagement
The target group are likely to be underperforming and fail at school, pose a potential threat of disengagement, are likely to finish school with little or no qualifications – they are
at risk educationally but not yet in risk. They must of course be interested in a career path that is appropriate to an institute of technology. As a student body they are reflective of the communities of Counties Manukau, from a low decile school and/or a low income family and are in significant numbers first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.

10. Disengagement is a Structural Issue
Process not an event
Pastoral care needs to follow students
Home relationships critical
Disengagement is made more possible by school structures, sector organisation, and a focus on age cohorts.

11. Disengagement
Process
Indentifiers
Stages
Interventions

12. The key signs of disengagement
Attendance
Academic (on track)
Literacy / Numeracy
Learning Difficulties
School relationships
Bullying / Harrassment
Interest / Motivation
Family
Social Group / Interaction
Support from Teachers
The target group are likely to be underperforming and fail at school, pose a potential threat of disengagement, are likely to finish school with little or no qualifications – they are
at risk educationally but not yet in risk. They must of course be interested in a career path that is appropriate to an institute of technology. As a student body they are reflective of the communities of Counties Manukau, from a low decile school and/or a low income family and are in significant numbers first-in-family to undertake tertiary education and training.

13. Disengagement
Process
Indentifiers
Stages
Interventions

14. Disengagement Process Conventional view of Even movement from
being engaged to being
disengaged

15. Disengagement Process Development of signs Not across the board or
even.
Spikes represent areas
For intervention focus

16. Disengagement Process Example A High Intervention Attendance Academic
Interest / Motivation
Teacher support
Medium Intervention
School
Family

17. Disengagement Process High Intervention Direct discussion
Mitigation put in place
Medium Intervention
Discussion
Plan for improvement
Low / No Intervention
Points of Praise

18. Disengagement Process Example A High Intervention Attendance Academic
Interest / Motivation
Teacher support
Medium Intervention
School
Family

19. Disengagement Process Example B High Intervention Academic
Medium Intervention
Attendance
Interest / Motivation

20. Simply by sailing in a new direction You could enlarge the world…….
Allan Curnow

21. Managed Transitions Seamlessness Multiple Pathways
In summary …..
Managed Transitions Seamlessness Multiple Pathways
Keeping the conversation going